Mark Drizzle’s debut album “sharp objects” is like if a kid who grew up listening to Saosin and Owl City made a passion project in the 2020s. Actually, it’s exactly that.
General Overview
Mark Drizzle, a queer songwriter and producer living in San Diego, California, released their debut album “sharp objects” in August 2022.
Listening to “sharp objects” feels like scratching all the right itches– Mark Drizzle is able to combine emo and pop-punk with hyperpop, meaning heavy guitars are almost always matched with inventive techno riffs.
The ambiguity of genre is fantastic; it’s exciting to see hyperpop being mixed with metalcore guitar, but it’s even more exciting to see Mark Drizzle combine their experimental music with deep and creative lyricism.
Song and Lyric Highlights
“deepfake”
Mark Drizzle opens their album with a track, “deepfake,” that I haven’t been able to stop listening to since it first came out. Its catchy, danceable melody met with Mark’s semi-falsetto makes it irresistible.
Brain zaps from the Lexapro
Secrets only you would know
Yeah, I had a bad, bad episode
Sippin’ on a dollar sweet tea, now I’m good to go
“deepfake” – mark drizzle
These opening lyrics may be some of my favorites on the entire album. They offer relatability and make the track clearly contemporary without being overly obvious about it– it’s the sort of song that could go viral on TikTok, but not the type of song that would only go viral because it’s on TikTok (I’m calling the Mark Drizzle rise to stardom before anyone else).
“man”
“Man” is the fourth track on the album, and discusses the difficulties related to toxic masculinity, as well as the ways in which masculinity is enforced on those who don’t identify with manhood but are expected to.
As a man it’s kinda silly to romanticize your life
Your memory’s just fine you won’t need pictures
We’ll allow you one short paragraph whenever someone dies
Then you’ll go back to living someone else’s life
“man” – mark drizzle
Mark Drizzle uses their own voice to echo the things they have heard and been repeatedly told relating to the gender roles placed on them.
It is refreshing to see lyricism as honest and vulnerable as this, and seeing a rise in queer voices being used to speak openly and fearlessly about the queer experience is beyond exciting and empowering.
Man-to-man you’re getting awfully comfortable showing your skin
You don’t need vitamin D, they’ve got pills for that
And as a man I’d be embarrassed at the check-out cart from Shein
Fast fashion won’t eliminate that feeling
“man” – mark drizzle
Beyond “deepfake” and “man,” the album’s title track stands out as incredibly strong, with clever and heartfelt lyrics preceded by a true emo intro– screaming and all. I’m also partial to an instrumental track, “when i say no you turn back around,” for its twinkly math rock riffs.
Concluding Thoughts
There are few other albums I’ve found with the vast diversity of genre of “sharp objects,” and yet, the album is surprisingly cohesive. Maybe it’s Mark Drizzle’s unique character being woven into each song, but whether it be a track that starts with acoustic guitar, screaming, or a 100 gecs-esque melody, it all stands out as something you should hold closely before putting it down.
Rating: 9/10
— bel$
